A wine holiday should start with excitement, not 46 messages in the group chat and one friend asking whether they need to bring their own corkscrew.

At Tipple Tours, we run small-group wine and beer adventures with good drinks, local stories and the occasional delightfully unexpected stop. Here are the questions worth asking before you book with the details you’ll want to check on your chosen tour page.

1. What’s included in this particular tour?

Start here. Check the tour page for accommodation, winery visits, tastings, transport and meals. Inclusions vary between trips, so look at the details before booking.

“Wine tour” can cover a lot of ground. We’d rather you knew what was included before you arrived in wine country wondering whether lunch is part of the plan or a personal side quest.

2. How big is the group?

Tipple Tours groups are typically 6–12 people. That’s small enough to chat with the guide and fellow travellers without needing a microphone, a headcount app or a flag on a stick.

It’s also large enough to create a useful tasting panel. One person gets notes of blackcurrant. Another gets plum. Someone else says, “I’d have another glass.” All valuable contributions.

3. What’s the tour like beyond the wine?

Our trips are about more than standing in a cellar while someone discusses oak. Depending on the destination, an itinerary might include local food, history, unusual sights and experiences you wouldn’t necessarily find by searching “winery near hotel”.

Read the itinerary to see the balance. Some trips focus more heavily on wine. Others weave in plenty of local character along the way. If the tour includes something that makes you think, “Why are we doing that?”, there’s a fair chance it’s going to be a good story.

4. How much wine will I taste?

The number of wines and pour sizes depend on the wineries and the tour. Check the tour details or ask us if you want specifics about a particular departure.

Our motto is “Small groups. Big pours.” Wine is a proper part of the holiday, so come ready to explore the local bottles. You can taste at your own pace and ask questions without needing a degree in grape-related vocabulary.

5. I’m travelling solo. Do I get my own room?

On most Tipple Tours departures, your own room is included with no single supplement. Exceptions are flagged on the individual tour page, so check the details before booking.

That means you can enjoy the group, the tastings and the shared stories, then retreat to your own room to organise your photos and decide which wine was the favourite.

6. Is this departure guaranteed?

Some Tipple Tours departures are marked Guaranteed Departure. Look for that wording on the tour page. If it isn’t shown, ask us about the status of the date before you book.

We know nobody wants to plan a holiday around a date that still needs a little more company.

7. What do I need to organise myself?

Check the meeting point, start time and travel arrangements. Tour pages explain what Tipple Tours arranges and what you need to book separately. It’s a small detail that can prevent a large airport-based misunderstanding.

8. What are the payment and booking terms?

The tour page explains the price, deposit options, balance due date and cancellation terms. Read them before booking. A quick check now is much easier than trying to reconstruct the terms from a screenshot someone posted in the group chat three months ago.

Tipple Tours is a member of Protected Trust Services. You can find the relevant protection and booking information in our terms.

Ready to choose your tour?

Pick the destination that makes you curious, check the itinerary and inclusions then get in touch if anything’s unclear. We’ll help you work out whether the trip suits you.

After that, the major decisions are yours: red or white, vineyard photo or group photo and whether “hints of spice” is a genuine tasting note or something you read on a label.